CARBON DIOXIDE CONTENT AND PH OF CARBONATED BEVERAGES

Article

Ehlen LA, Marshall TA, Qian F, Wefel JS, Warren JJ. Acidic beverages increase the riskof in vitro tooth erosion. Nutr Res; 28(5): 299-303.

This lab conducted by Leslie A Ehlen tested the hypothesis that pH and titratable acidities of soft drinks ultimately affects the amount of erosion of ones teeth. They tested the pH and titratable acidity of the drinks and then they stuck the teeth into these drinks for a certain amount of time, conducting an in vitro lab. Upon examining the teeth, they found that the acidity of the drink had little to do with how much erosion occurred. Apple juice had the least amount of erosion associated with it, even though it was also the most acidic beverage. Therefore this lab determined by in vitro methods that the pH and acidity of drinks does not affect the amount of decay a tooth will experience upon contact with this beverage.


Awesomeness.jpg
This picture shows us trying to heat the bottles in order to get all the carbon dioxide out.


Results

Table 1: Data collected during the lab

Soda

Mass before

pH before/ immediately after opening the can

Mass after

pH after

Trial 1

+/- 0.2 grams

+/- 0.01

+/- 0.2 grams

+/- 0.01

Mendota Sparkling Water

371.2 grams

3.80

367.4 grams



Diet Coke

627.6 grams

3.18

620.8 grams

2.56

Second measurements





619.0 grams

3.15

Sprite

640.4 grams

3.10

634.9 grams

2.78

Second measurements





633.3 grams

3.27

Mountain Dew

654.4 grams

3.10

650.5 grams

2.49

Second measurements





648.7 grams

3.10

Mean Bean Java Monster

475.8 grams

6.76

472.1 grams

6.76

Monster Energy

517.7 grams

3.44

511.4 grams

3.32











Trial 2

+/- 0.2 grams

+/- 0.01

+/- 0.2 grams

+/- 0.01

Mendota Sparkling Water

363.7 grams

4.09

361.8 grams

4.74

Diet Coke

628.6 grams

2.84

620.5 grams

2.81

Sprite

642.9 grams

2.93

636.4 grams

3.85

Mountain Dew

652.6 grams

2.86

647.5 grams

2.57

Mean Bean Java Monster

480.8 grams

6.57

478.1 grams

6.72

Monster Energy

515.1 grams

3.24

511.7 grams

3.58


Table 2: Calculations and Change in pH or Mass

Soda

Change in Mass
(Mass before- Mass after)

Change in pH
(pH after – pH before)

Trial 1

+/- 0.4 grams

+/-0.02

Mendota Sparkling Water

3.8 grams



Diet Coke

6.8 grams

-0.62

Second measurements

8.6 grams

-0.03

Sprite

5.5 grams

-0.32

Second measurements

7.1 grams

+0.17

Mountain Dew

3.9 grams

-0.61

Second measurements

5.7 grams

0.00

Mean Bean Java Monster

3.7 grams

0.00

Monster Energy

6.3 grams

-0.12







Trial 2

+/- 0.4 grams

+/- .02

Mendota Sparkling Water

1.9 grams

+0.63

Diet Coke

8.1 grams

-0.03

Sprite

6.5 grams

+0.92

Mountain Dew

5.1 grams

-0.29

Mean Bean Java Monster

2.7 grams


+0.15


Monster Energy


6.3 grams

+0.34


Nutrition Labels:

Snapshot_2010-02-16_19-12-58.jpg
Diet Coke

Snapshot_2010-02-16_19-13-49.jpg
Sprite


Snapshot_2010-02-16_19-14-40.jpg
Snapshot_2010-02-16_19-14-56.jpg
Mountain Dew

Snapshot_2010-02-16_19-15-29.jpg
Snapshot_2010-02-16_19-15-58.jpg
Mean Bean Java Monster

Snapshot_2010-02-16_19-18-25.jpg
Snapshot_2010-02-16_19-18-47.jpg
Monster Energy

Snapshot_2010-02-16_19-17-06.jpg
Mendota Sparkling Water


Observations:

  • The diet coke fizzed in a different way from the other sodas. I was almost smaller bubbles.
  • The mountain dew seemed to have the biggest bubbles.
  • The sodas were sitting in the sun overnight and for part of the morning
  • Side note: in trial 2 the diet coke was shaken too much and therefore may have lost some extra mass from that.

Summary Paragraph:
The data, in general, showed a change in pH when carbon dioxide was removed from the beverage. Mendota Sparkling Water pH changed by 0.63 when 1.9 grams of carbon dioxide was released into the air. Also Sprite’s carbon dioxide content changed by 6.5 grams and the pH increased by 0.93. Mountain Dew, however, lost 5.7 grams of carbon dioxide and the pH did not change. The Moutain Dew also had other things in it besides water and carbon dioxide, like erythorbic acid. This data, however, was not always consistent.